Over the past three decades, Soichiro Fukutake, the former chairman of Tokyo-based education firm Benesse Holdings, and his family have spent $250 million of their fortune to transform Naoshima and roughly a dozen neighboring islands in the Seto Inland Sea into a global art destination. Their family home, situated along Okayama’s Handa Mountains and looking out over the city and inland sea, have recently been renovated and rebranded as Fukutake Tres.
Originally conceived by Soichiro’s father, Fukutake Tres is comprised of 3 spaces. F Salon is is the renovated family home and garden, designed by landscape architect Kenzo Ogata. F Studio is an open event space intended to be used for events and gatherings. The latest and final addition, completing the trifecta, is F Gallery, an unassuming yet impressive feat of architecture that blends into the surrounding forest and houses individual art pieces and antiques the belong to the family.
F Gallery was designed by Makoto Takei and Chie Nabeshima of architecture firm TNA and is made up of multi-tiered triangular spaces that extend into the trees. Despite its significant footprint, the space feels astonishingly airy and organic thanks to the ultra-thin steel beams that mimic the surrounding trees while supporting the structure itself.
Can we also take a moment to appreciate the branding? It’s the work of graphic designer Koji Iyama, who incorporated the triangles of F Gallery into the logo and signage.
Fukutake Tres is currently open to the public on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Online reservations are required and general admission is 1000 yen.
